DeAndre Hopkins, Texans Reportedly Agree to New 5-Year, $81M Contract

DeAndre Hopkins may get his wish to spend his entire career in Houston after all. The Texans reportedly agreed to a five-year contract with their former All-Pro wideout that will give him the highest guarantee for a receiver in the NFL. 

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the news and added the five-year deal is worth $81 million and $49 million guaranteed. 

Hopkins, 25, held out for part of training camp in hopes of a new deal last season. The Texans did not renegotiate his rookie contract, which paid him $1 million in base salary, and Hopkins returned to the team before missing significant time. 

Hopkins recorded 78 receptions for 954 yards and four touchdowns, a far cry from his breakout 2015 campaign. He was one of many victims of the struggles of quarterback Brock Osweiler, a free-agent bust whom the Texans traded to the Cleveland Browns this offseason. 

In 2015, Hopkins posted 111 receptions for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns. His 192 targets were the third-most in football behind only Julio Jones and Antonio Brown; Brown and Jones were also the only players who had more receptions (136).

Despite the Texans' problems at quarterback, Hopkins has remained steadfast in his desire to stay in Houston.

"If I can play my whole career here, I would," Hopkins said last February, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. "I love this place. This organization took a chance on drafting me. You have to look at that."

Football Outsiders' DYAR (defense-adjusted yards above replacement) metric ranked Hopkins the 66th-best receiver in football. That came a year after Hopkins ranked 13th while playing with a revolving door at quarterback that ranked among the league's worst. Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T.J. Yates and Brandon Weeden each threw passes for Houston in 2015.

Tom Savage is slated to begin the 2017 season as the Texans' starter under center. The team also selected DeShaun Watson with its first-round pick in April's draft and views him as the quarterback of the future. 

Now signed to a long-term deal, Hopkins can be a mainstay as Houston's offensive counterpart to J.J. Watt on defense.